Richard A. Landgraff

Richard A. Landgraff

Born July 26, 1936. He lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until he was 14 and then moved out to Torrance, California with his family. He graduated from Torrance High School in 1954. He worked for the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for 39.5 years before retiring just before it was closed.

Dick married Julia Landgraff (deceased December 2016) on February 1, 1969. They had a daughter, Kristina, in September of 1975. She was an only child, but not by choice.

Dick had a long love of trains thanks to his grandfather in Milwaukee. He began collecting model trains at some point and joined the Model Train Association that meets in Bellflower.

Dick also spend 5 ½ years as a reserve officer in the National Guard.

Dick’s love though, was the Iowa Class Battleships. He was a naval architect during the 1980’s, during the re-commissioning of them. Dick was a Program Director for the US Navy’s Battleship program. He became known as Mr. Battleship because of his vast knowledge and expertise of them. In his retirement years he worked over 10,000 hours to bring the USS Iowa to San Pedro. He always joked that it was HIS battleship.

Richard is survived by his daughter Kristina, her children, Austin, Audrey, Cody and David, and his brother Jack.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401